For me the worst thing about being a teacher isn't the pay, pensions or even the workload. It's the pr1ck$ who, without fail, every time there is a discussion about teaching can't help themselves make a snide comment about how easy we've all got it 'with all those holidays'.

Given the Tories track record, doesn't their present obsession with taking schools out of local authority control, then changing teachers terms and conditions re: pensions and stuff..... Just scream 'lets make this look more attractive to our mates in the private sector when we shortly privatise the lot'?

And why would any of us, teachers, or those of us with school age kids have even the slightest concern about that? It's the panacea to everything after all. I'll personally be happy as Larry when my kids school is owned by a private equity firm. Won't you?

I'm sure they'll have the best interests of our children at heart, and well paid, highly motivated and happy staff will be essential to realising that dream! And if they can, while achieving these noble aims, make a modest profit, then who could begrudge them that? I can't see what the teachers are bleating about!

So you get all that money and only have to work 195 days?
(Kind of set yourself up there - I wouldn't want to do it, have several friends who do. And I'm married to a child protection social worker. I know how easy my job is in comparison)

No Anagallis I havent done either. But I have a son about to do a tour and I do work very close with social workers. Being a foster carer taking all the hours we do into consideration we get £1.59/hr and no holidays.
Couldnt bring myself to strike from that to be honest.

Are teachers really hard done by? Its important for them that they realise we are all in the same boat, a bankrupt country?

Bankrupt is hyperbole really isn't it?

Pay isn't that good considering the hours that are actually done, the stress, the lack of discipline, the poor management and government interference.

The people doing it are helping, probably more than any other sector, to ensure that this country can be successful in the future, without a first class education system this country will eventually go to the dogs, how much are we willing to pay to ensure that doesn't happen?

If conditions worsen the only people who are teaching will be the people who can't get jobs outside of teaching, i.e. the crap ones, what you really want is for people to want to teach because it is a highly cherished and well paid job where they feel valued.

The strike might in the long term have more negative than positive outcomes for teaching, but I can't say I blame them for making a stand.

Understand your concerns but you cant condone striking we are all under stress at work. The more you care the more you have to stress about. Dont we all want higly cherished and well payed jobs but we dont all go on strike.

What is the pay aa? Is it around 30k? And come on, there's no way you could get a job in the private sector with as much "holiday".
As for a pension what's that? My "pension" is tied up at the moment in mine and hers parents.

We are pretty close to bankrupcy.Many government departments and activities run by the state are having redundancies and selling assets.

Fwiw if teachers want to strike then go for it but you need to work on your pr. People aren't blaming those with the purse strings and asking to help you out they are blaming teachers for not looking after the kids.

Is the strike going to serve any purpose, do you think it helps your cause?

I'm in construction! I manage anything from big factory builds up to £10 million to sitting on a mini digger. That's how we work as a very small company. Just two of us. Before the last 18 months we hadn't done any industrial work for three years, the whole business was very close and the only thing that saved us was the fact we had such small outgoings wages/office wise.
I've no pension as I've never had the spare cash to pay into one. As for hr and stuff like that

Surely its about getting what you signed up for? You decide on a career in teaching based on the the fact you will get a good pension at the end. Then the goal posts are moved. If you don't agree you are perfectly at liberty to remove your labour like anyone else. As for the person who said why don't they strike during the holidays You don't really understand what striking is meant to achieve do you

Parents only get upset because they treat school like glorified child car.

I would not do it, teaching today is a thankless job as we can see by the posts on here.

Yes you do need to pay people and offer a good package to get the best people in place. As for the "We should not have to pay to get the best" get real !!! Why should someone who has worked hard to get a lot to offer an employer give those skills away for a low wage. If you worked hard to buy an expensive bike, would you give it to me for half price !!!

Teaching is a hard job, its not a job you can do easily and effectively when you get older. So we need to take it on the chin and accept if we want good people teaching our kids we have to pay for it !!!

Or are your kids not worth paying to get the brightest and the best teaching them ?

The average teacher's salary (nationwide) is £ 25,000.00/180 days = £ 138.90 per day/ 30 children = £ 4.62 / 7 1/2 hours = £ 0.61 per hour per student--a very inexpensive babysitter and they even EDUCATE the children! WHAT A DEAL!!!!

I'm not entirely sure I want teachers to be doing it for the money - ie you shouldn't be needing high salaries to attract the best.

Does that apply to doctors too. I'm always amazed that we pay a GP so much and a teacher so little, given the responsibilities assumed for teachers. If teaching attracted the same sort of salary as accountancy, we'd see far more of the top quartile of graduates applying.